Rare cause of trigeminal neuralgia: Meckel's cave meningocele.

Abstract

The most common etiology of classic trigeminal neuralgia is vascular compression. However, other causes must be excluded. It is very unlikely that a meningocele presents with symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia. We present a rare case of a patient presenting with left trigeminal neuralgia. Thin-slice CT and MRI showed a transclival Meckel's cave meningocele. The patient underwent endoscopic repair of the meningocele, which resulted in complete resolution of her symptoms. Meckel's cave meningocele or encephalocele should be considered among the differential diagnoses of trigeminal neuralgia. Meningocele repair should be suggested as the first treatment option in this rare situation.